COMPLIANCE
The generation game: understanding age diversity
With multiple generations working together in today’s workplaces, Carina Monnelly-Owen, head of people services at Housing 21, explains the importance of employers adapting to accommodate those working in payroll
W e’re in an era where five generations are in the workplace together, where people are living and working longer and where technology is advancing at a relentless pace. So, it’s more important than ever to understand the changing age diversity to not only manage an effective payroll function, but also to provide excellent service to our customers for our businesses to thrive. Each generation has its own unique characteristics, values and communication styles due to the socioeconomic developments and technological advancements during their lifetime. These are: Traditionalists / silent generation (born between 1928 and 1945) Loyal but traditional, appreciate security and offline opportunities. Baby boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) Tend to be hard working and prefer face- to-face communication, have learnt to use technology when introduced. Generation X (born between 1965 and 1980) Shaped by the evolution of personal computers and further education, but can prefer face-to-face communication. Generation Y / Millennials (born 1981 and 1996) Grew up in during an internet revolution, embracing new technology more than previous generations.
Generation Z (born between 1997 and 2015) Raised as digital natives, technology is essential to their productivity and helps shape their relationships. Recognising the age diversity of the team will help to harness the range of experience and skills which enable the critical role the payroll team plays in any organisation. “Each generation has its own unique characteristics, values and communication styles due to the socioeconomic developments and technological advancements during their lifetime”
difficult than other age groups to find new employment because of recruiting bias. Given the proportion of older workers is expected to increase in the UK, the key question is, how do we embrace age diverse teams to reach maximum productivity and engagement? Let’s not stereotype You could easily read the generational summaries above, based on loose research and make assumptions about each age group. It would be advisable to read the summary again for your own age group and decide if it encapsulates all your personal experiences, values, communication styles, ambitions, likes, dislikes, quirks, strengths and weaknesses in one sentence. Of course it didn’t, which is why it’s imperative that we don’t stereotype people into generational boxes and instead simply get to know people, their needs, wants, personality and preferences. It’s through uniqueness and diversity that we succeed, so let’s not make any harsh generational judgements and instead ask people how they perform at their best, as they’re best placed to know. It may also be useful to break down any assumptions in your teams too. Older workers may have these about younger workers and vice versa, which may affect how they work together. By enabling team members to get to know each other and build relationships, it will encourage greater empathy and understanding. This may be difficult in a more remote world, so create opportunities for social interactions and personal bonding, creating team belonging and inclusivity.
So how helpful are these generalisations about age generations?
There are new payroll roles developing in the workplace which require adaptive skills and technological proficiency, moving from traditionally administrative and transactional to more strategic business partnering and technology enabled roles, suggesting younger generations may be more adept to the future evolution of payroll teams. However, age bias can have profound consequences, with older people looking to re-enter the workforce finding it more
| Professional in Payroll, Pensions and Reward | June 2024 | Issue 101 20
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